Freescale ColdFire
Encyclopedia
The Freescale ColdFire is a microprocessor
that derives from the Motorola 68000 family architecture, manufactured for embedded system
s development by Freescale Semiconductor
(formerly the semiconductor sector of Motorola
).
. When compared to classic 68k hardware, the instruction set differs mainly in that it no longer has support for the binary-coded decimal
(BCD) packed data format; it removes a number of other, less used instructions; and most instructions that are kept support fewer addressing mode
s. Also, floating point
intermediates are 64 bits and not 80 bits as in the 68881 and 68882
coprocessor
s. The instructions are only 16, 32, or 48 bits long, a simplification compared to the 68000 series.
project was looking into making its m68k port compatible with the ColdFires, as there are ColdFire models that are much faster than the 68060. They can be clocked as high as 300 MHz, compared with 75 MHz for a 68060 (the fastest "real" m68k processor) without overclocking
. Stallion Technologies ePipe and Secure Computing
SnapGear security appliance
s are based on ColdFire processors. There are ColdFire Linux-based SBCs
with Ethernet
and CompactFlash
as small as 23×55 mm or 45×45 mm or based on CompactFlash (37×43 mm) itself.
There are five generations or versions of the Coldfire available from Freescale:
There is also the Fido 1100, a microcontroller launched in 2007 aimed at predictable embedded control systems such as Industrial Ethernet
applications using the 68k/CPU32 instruction set. However, Fido has its own unique architecture and shares the instruction set with 68k only.
In November 2006, Freescale announced that ColdFire microprocessor cores were available for license as semiconductor Intellectual Property through their IP licensing and support partner IPextreme Inc. ColdFire v1 core is now available under Free license (and no per use royalty) for Altera
Cyclone-III FPGA's.
In September 2007, Freescale launched the 32-bit Flexis microcontroller family with a ColdFire CPU core.
In June 2010, Freescale announced the Coldfire+ line, which is a Coldfire V1 core using a 90nm TFS technology
Microprocessor
A microprocessor incorporates the functions of a computer's central processing unit on a single integrated circuit, or at most a few integrated circuits. It is a multipurpose, programmable device that accepts digital data as input, processes it according to instructions stored in its memory, and...
that derives from the Motorola 68000 family architecture, manufactured for embedded system
Embedded system
An embedded system is a computer system designed for specific control functions within a larger system. often with real-time computing constraints. It is embedded as part of a complete device often including hardware and mechanical parts. By contrast, a general-purpose computer, such as a personal...
s development by Freescale Semiconductor
Freescale Semiconductor
Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. is a producer and designer of embedded hardware, with 17 billion semiconductor chips in use around the world. The company focuses on the automotive, consumer, industrial and networking markets with its product portfolio including microprocessors, microcontrollers,...
(formerly the semiconductor sector of Motorola
Motorola
Motorola, Inc. was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, which was eventually divided into two independent public companies, Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions on January 4, 2011, after losing $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009...
).
Instruction set
The ColdFire instruction set is "assembly source" compatible (by means of translation software available from the vendor) and not entirely object code compatible with the 68000Motorola 68000
The Motorola 68000 is a 16/32-bit CISC microprocessor core designed and marketed by Freescale Semiconductor...
. When compared to classic 68k hardware, the instruction set differs mainly in that it no longer has support for the binary-coded decimal
Binary-coded decimal
In computing and electronic systems, binary-coded decimal is a digital encoding method for numbers using decimal notation, with each decimal digit represented by its own binary sequence. In BCD, a numeral is usually represented by four bits which, in general, represent the decimal range 0 through 9...
(BCD) packed data format; it removes a number of other, less used instructions; and most instructions that are kept support fewer addressing mode
Addressing mode
Addressing modes are an aspect of the instruction set architecture in most central processing unit designs. The various addressing modes that are defined in a given instruction set architecture define how machine language instructions in that architecture identify the operand of each instruction...
s. Also, floating point
Floating point
In computing, floating point describes a method of representing real numbers in a way that can support a wide range of values. Numbers are, in general, represented approximately to a fixed number of significant digits and scaled using an exponent. The base for the scaling is normally 2, 10 or 16...
intermediates are 64 bits and not 80 bits as in the 68881 and 68882
Motorola 68881
The Motorola 68881 and Motorola 68882 were floating-point coprocessor chips that were used in some computer systems in conjunction with the 68020 or 68030 CPUs. The addition of one of these chips added substantial cost to the computer, but added a floating point unit that could rapidly perform...
coprocessor
Coprocessor
A coprocessor is a computer processor used to supplement the functions of the primary processor . Operations performed by the coprocessor may be floating point arithmetic, graphics, signal processing, string processing, or encryption. By offloading processor-intensive tasks from the main processor,...
s. The instructions are only 16, 32, or 48 bits long, a simplification compared to the 68000 series.
Models
In 2006, DebianDebian
Debian is a computer operating system composed of software packages released as free and open source software primarily under the GNU General Public License along with other free software licenses. Debian GNU/Linux, which includes the GNU OS tools and Linux kernel, is a popular and influential...
project was looking into making its m68k port compatible with the ColdFires, as there are ColdFire models that are much faster than the 68060. They can be clocked as high as 300 MHz, compared with 75 MHz for a 68060 (the fastest "real" m68k processor) without overclocking
Overclocking
Overclocking is the process of operating a computer component at a higher clock rate than it was designed for or was specified by the manufacturer, but some manufacturers purposely underclock their components to improve battery life. Many people just overclock or 'rightclock' their hardware to...
. Stallion Technologies ePipe and Secure Computing
Secure Computing
Secure Computing Corporation, or SCC, was a public company that developed and sold computer security appliances and hosted services to protect users and data...
SnapGear security appliance
Security appliance
A security appliance is any form of server appliance that is designed to protect computer networks from unwanted traffic.-Types of security appliances:* Active devices block unwanted traffic...
s are based on ColdFire processors. There are ColdFire Linux-based SBCs
Single-board computer
A single-board computer is a complete computer built on a single circuit board, with microprocessor, memory, input/output and other features required of a functional computer. Unlike a typical personal computer, an SBC may not include slots into which accessory cards may be plugged...
with Ethernet
Ethernet
Ethernet is a family of computer networking technologies for local area networks commercially introduced in 1980. Standardized in IEEE 802.3, Ethernet has largely replaced competing wired LAN technologies....
and CompactFlash
CompactFlash
CompactFlash is a mass storage device format used in portable electronic devices. Most CompactFlash devices contain flash memory in a standardized enclosure. The format was first specified and produced by SanDisk in 1994...
as small as 23×55 mm or 45×45 mm or based on CompactFlash (37×43 mm) itself.
There are five generations or versions of the Coldfire available from Freescale:
- v1: Intended to support migration from 8-bit microcontrollers, it is a cut-down version of the v2 processor-wise. It was launched in 2006, 12 years after the original Coldfire. It is designed to easily replace the 8-bit Freescale 68HC08Freescale 68HC08The 68HC08 is a broad family of 8-bit microcontrollers from Freescale Semiconductor .HC08's are fully code-compatible with their predecessors, the Motorola 68HC05. Like all Motorola processors that share lineage from the 6800, they use the von Neumann architecture as well as memory-mapped I/O...
microcontrollers and compete with low-end ARM chips. - v2: The original Coldfire core launched in 1994. Single-issue pipeline, no MMU, no FPU. Versions are also available with MAC and enhanced MAC units.
- v3: Added an optional MAC unit.
- v4: Limited superscalarSuperscalarA superscalar CPU architecture implements a form of parallelism called instruction level parallelism within a single processor. It therefore allows faster CPU throughput than would otherwise be possible at a given clock rate...
core. - v4e (or eV4 in some documents): Enhanced version of the v4, launched in 2000. Adds optional MMUMMUMMU may refer to:* Manchester Metropolitan University in England* Manned Maneuvering Unit, a NASA rocket pack that snaps onto the back of a spacesuit* Marymount University, a Catholic university in Arlington, Virginia...
, FPUFPUFPU may stand for:* Federation of Progressive Unions, a trade union center in Mauritius* Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine* Fishermen's Protective Union, a left populist political party and later service organization in the former Dominion of Newfoundland from 1908 to the 1960s* Floating-point...
, and enhanced MAC unit to the architecture. - v5: Fully superscalar core.
There is also the Fido 1100, a microcontroller launched in 2007 aimed at predictable embedded control systems such as Industrial Ethernet
Industrial Ethernet
Industrial Ethernet refers to the use of the Ethernet family of computer network technologies in an industrial environment, for automation and process control. A number of techniques are used to adapt Ethernet for the needs of industrial processes, which require real time behavior...
applications using the 68k/CPU32 instruction set. However, Fido has its own unique architecture and shares the instruction set with 68k only.
In November 2006, Freescale announced that ColdFire microprocessor cores were available for license as semiconductor Intellectual Property through their IP licensing and support partner IPextreme Inc. ColdFire v1 core is now available under Free license (and no per use royalty) for Altera
Altera
Altera Corporation is a Silicon Valley manufacturer of PLDs . The company offered its first programmable logic device in 1984. PLDs can be reprogrammed during the design cycle as well as in the field to perform multiple functions, and they support a fairly fast design process...
Cyclone-III FPGA's.
In September 2007, Freescale launched the 32-bit Flexis microcontroller family with a ColdFire CPU core.
In June 2010, Freescale announced the Coldfire+ line, which is a Coldfire V1 core using a 90nm TFS technology
External links
- Freescale Semiconductor's Official ColdFire Site
- Original announcement of ColdFire based AmigaAmigaThe Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
clone and FAQ about it - See also VaporwareVaporwareVaporware is a term in the computer industry that describes a product, typically computer hardware or software, that is announced to the general public but is never actually released nor officially canceled. Vaporware is also a term sometimes used to describe events that are announced or predicted,... - Debian m68k/ColdFire porting project.
- Coldfire Background Debugging (BDM) project for GDB.
- Coldfire emulator
- The eCosECoseCos is an open source, royalty-free, real-time operating system intended for embedded systems and applications which need only one process with multiple threads. It is designed to be customizable to precise application requirements of run-time performance and hardware needs...
and RTEMSRTEMSRTEMS is a free open source real-time operating system designed for embedded systems....
open source real-time operating systems. - Differences between ColdFire & 68K
- uTasker project for V2 MCU, including Kirin3 Free for non-commercial work and fully supported
- Atari ColdFire Project aka "FireBee" an Atari ST/TT clone based on a ColdFire processor